The Addition of Niklas Hjalmarsson

With only 23 career goals, Hjalmarsson isn’t exactly an offensive defenseman but he potentially could be a perfect fit for Arizona. This addition provides experience to a defensive group that is young, as well as a player who sacrifices his body for the team, something the Coyotes were used to getting from Zbynek Michalek.

Hjalmarsson will likely be paired with fellow Swede Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The two are not strangers to playing together; they were teammates during World Cup of Hockey and the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Despite the shock of the trade, Hjalmarsson says he’s excited to join the team and be apart of the rebuild taking place in Arizona.